Mercenary
by Soul of the Blind
Summary: Fate was tempted on October 10th. And on January 21st Fate decided to chance everything and let the paths that were never meant to cross be crossed. Now Naruto's life will change but the question who's answer has yet to be told remains. What now?


I have been challenged to create a NarutoOC story. Originally the challenge was for Team 14 to be a NarutoOC. But the pairs for said story are already chosen, so I shall create a new story, one non-naruhina fans might find in their taste.

Group of Girls, who gave me the challenge, I hope this may be a story that you will find in your tastes. This is dedicated to you, for the inspiration and drive came from you alone. This is the first chapter of **_Mercenary. _**With that I leave it for your enjoyment.

* * *

_Date: October 10th _

_This day a hero was born and forsaken._

_This day a legend died his memory remembered but forgotten._

_This day the legend of the Kokuie, or Dark Shadow was born._

_(Minato's POV)_

Death.

When you die, many think that it is a painful process. But as I feel my own soul being pulled from my body, and the soul of Kyuubi no Kitsune who was an old friend, being sucked into my sons I felt warm. I know I was soaked with blood. I know I was a sight that mothers would shield their children from. I knew that if I were to live from this, that the pain would be enought to kill me and a hundred men. But as I cradled my son in my arms I was at peace. Death's hand was on my shoulder, his touch was ice cold, just like my own body would be in but a few hours. But no dark energy or fear and hate spread from him, only compassion and love. He was here to take me, no he was here to guide me away from this place. Away from my life and form everything I knew. From my son and village, but he would take me to my dear Kushina, to my father and brother who passed before me. I had but one regret. This child in my arms, the one with the sun blessed hair, happy but knowing deep azure eyes. He would be left to the mercy of this village. He would be the object that was hated and cursed. Always running, trying to find the place he could call home. I know it is in vain, but my last wish, wished to try and help the last regret I had in life, was that this boy, my son, Naruto the true hero, is that he is loved and respected for the sacrifice he has made. But I know deep down he is a hero who will be called a villain.

My time is over, as all becomes white except the dark figure who will lead me away. Death will wait no more.

Forgive me Naruto.

_(Normal POV)_

Sarutobi had his tears fall onto the ground as he picked up the child from the dead hero's arms. Konoha had a new hero now. But no man would know that this boy's father was the dead man before him, Minato Namikaze. But the council needed to know what had become of the fox. Surely they were trust worthy enough to help protect the boy. Sarutobi cradled the child in his arms as he left the body invested battlefield. The reinstated Hokage had no idea of what he was doing. He would never truly know the reaction and pain caused by the law he would soon create. He didn't know he had tempted fate.

* * *

_Date: January 21st _

_This day fate grew a twisted smile._

_This day fate lay his hands on a second child._

_This day would seal the destany of two people._

_After this day nothing would be the same._

A large man, heavily build with dark coal black hair, in a low ponytail, and sharp emerald eyes sat in the snow. His face was scared and chiseled as well as strong, a stub of hair on his chin. With no shirt, but instead a white ragged sleeveless kimono style top with a blood red sash and dark pants. A large sword, a claymore, with ice-blue tinted steel, and a small mammals skull used as a handled. It was a wolverine skull with a dark cherry wood handle extending from it to use as a grip. A little forest green bundle in his arms.

A few feet away was a fresh grave made of stone with a wooden cross nestled within the pile of rocks. The falling snow covering it in a small coating of white. All in all combined with the dark night it was a beautiful site, yet brought tears to the souls of many who would pass it in the years to come. That grave was the large mans wife, who was cast out of her family for marrying him. The woman gave up everything for him, and he for her. But the man, who's birth day was only known by the wind, was feared. He had taken on the name of Ryuu Kari-Kuma, aka Dragon Hunting Bear. The skill of his blade was match by only the legendary swordsmen, his justu's and summon unseen in any other place. Because he was feared as a man who killed and enjoyed the warm splatter of blood, well in reality he was just misunderstood. But she, that woman who's beauty was unmatched in all the Elemental Countries and beyond, saw him for him. She was his light in this never ending darkness. His now dead wife left but one thing in this world for him. And that was the small child in his arms, sleeping soundly, warm in the blanket that was held close to the man.

This little girl was the flame left by his angel. Born on this sad snowy night. With dark hair to match his own and eyes the same ice blue color of her mothers. Skin of silk and a glow that would shine even in the darkest caves. He had no other life to give her but the one he had, traveling with no home but the woods learning to kill to live. The sound of a poof awoke her as she looked up at her fathers face.

A wolverine, the size of a horse with a dark cloak and jade eyes pondered down at the child. This was Arashi, a warrior that had taken a liking to Ryuu and partnered with him. For Ryuu held the wolverine contract, and was the only one to do so in thousands of years.

Ryuu looked at his friend. " Greetings brother." his voice was gruff and hard.

" As to you brother." Arashi returned. " This child, will she too be given the contract? It would honor us if she did brother."

" Yes," Ryuu started, " she will too will summon you one day. I will not give her up, even if thats means she is forced to live like I am."

" What is her name brother, she is a wonderful child."

" Koyuki, Koyuki Kari-Kuma."

Arashi nodded. " It is a good name for the child, her mother would be proud."

Ryuu nodded. " Yes she would be proud of our Little Snow Hunting Bear."

Arashi narrowed his eyes at the child. " Tell me brother, her eyes..." he drifted off.

Ryuu nodded. " Yes brother, my little Koyuki, my little Angel is blind."

Arashi nodded and stood up. " Boss will need to hear of this. For just as you are my partner she will have a partner as well, a partner to be her eyes." the wolverine said as he stood and left the man alone with his blind daughter on that cold snowing January night.

* * *

5 Years Later

Naruto was always running, the adults hated him. Beat him, cut him, spit on him. He could see others with masks watching before stepping in and stopping the brutal slaughter with only moments to spare. But there was never any scars or broken bones. And the Old Man who was always nice to him didn't seam to know what happened to him, every night. Tonight was no different.

Blood, warm and salty ran down his lip and side. The ground littered with rusty kunai, dull eating knives, and anything else that would cause him pain. Broken bottles, cans, chopsticks, scraps of iron. And all of it was soaked with his blood from wounds already healed. But that didn't stop the pain. Words were also thrown at him as the now blurry figures walked away from his curled and beaken young body.

Demon

Monster

Freak

Unwanted

Mistake

Fox-freak

Fox-demon

Demon-Child

Devil Spawn

It was all the same to him. But one more figure, with a smaller figure at its side turned to him as they passed by. It was a mad rush as the large one came to him, slowly followed by the small one. Naruto shivered and tried to pull away.

" No more...no more." he murmured his voice broken.

" Hush child, who did this to you." the voice was hard and angry. Naruto shuttered in fear. Tears pouring from his partly closed eyes.

" No more mister, I've had today's beatings haven't I? What did I do to you all." he was weeping.

A sinister growl came from the mans throat. " Koyuki take the boy to camp and wait for me. Call Daichi and have him help you. Careful tho, he's hurt."

The next voice was soft, sweet, and innocent. But seamed to hide something more. It was like an angel of death. " Yes Papa."

Naruto's world faded to black. The voice bouncing around in his unconscious mind.


End file.
